Summary: Something has been bothering him... I noticed that, but what can I possibly do? It's not my business and I'm being an idiot thinking about it..right?
Pairings: (eventual?) ZoSan
Rating: PG-13...probably (Edit: rating necessarily raised because of chapter four.)
General Warnings: weirdness/abstractness (this here is for a reason), language, angst, gore references, contains psychological elements in the future and things you may not like
Author's Notes: This will be a short story, which I will try updating as fast as I can because of my tight schedule (and while I found inspiration). I currently have two routes as to where I want to take it (psychological or 'normal'...lmao, I feel like I'm doing a Nitro+Chiral BL game *face palm* XD), so the amount of chapters is unclear (but it shouldn't be more than five). And depending on where I take the story - the title will change.
Oh, and...if you are not up to date with the current manga arc (mainly chapter 744), please refrain from reading for your own good. I don't know how much I will spoil you on ANYTHING.
1st chapter is entirely Zoro's POV (I am planning one chapter with Sanji's POV, not sure yet).
Disclaimer: Don't own One Piece.
Chapter One: Paying Attention
It's not like I intentionally started paying attention to the idiot cook's actions. It's not like I have been interested in anything on his mind or thoughts. I have never been a stalker...and I would be damned if I ever became one, especially because of the shitty asshole. No, all that took place was pure coincidence and...if only I have understood the signs, maybe...just maybe, I could have prevented a huge problem ahead.
It was a rare, quiet night and Sunny has been sailing the peaceful (for now) waters of New World, the second half of Grand Line...a name I would have questioned if it weren't for the fateful meeting on Jaya...
The only thing that was off about our whereabouts was...we were sailing off-course, as stated by our Navigator.
There was a reason as to why we were, a reason not exactly important to me at the moment.
One of the beds creaked, which could only mean one of the two things: 1) someone had to use the bathroom, 2) it was the cook. While the first reason could happen easily, it hardly ever did, especially in recent nights...so I went with reason two in an instant.
I was a light sleeper when I wanted to be or was on alert...and since a few days ago, this became a routine. I am not sure why I was at all bothered by it, but...it was what it was. While the idiot cook was known to not sleep much, not sleeping at all didn't happen in the past.
So there had to be something going on, right..?
I wasn't sure...and it wasn't exactly my business. If anything was bothering him, he could talk to anyone about it. We were nakama, a family... And no one was quick to judge, no matter what, so...
What could this possibly be..?
Opening my one good eye, I realized in seconds I was right and it was indeed the sleepless bastard going outside...for a smoke no doubt.
I did say it became a routine, right? And while I wasn't a stalker, I still followed him out twice already. And both times, the sight I was presented with was...not exactly the kind I would ever want to see.
There he stood, smoking in his normal way, the breeze blowing gently into his face, his look distant. The only difference...easily noticeable from his normal smoking patterns was...his hands were shaking.
That's how I knew something was really bothering him. I contemplated a few times whether I should approach him or not, but... I always held myself back. I had no idea what to say to the idiot at all. 'Something bothering you/something wrong/lovely night isn't it/why are you here at this hour/oi! the hell are you doing here'? But it all sounded cheap in my head...and I can't exactly imagine myself asking any of it. He probably doesn't want to be asked anything too...right? Not by me anyway. Maybe if it was Nami or Robin...
Not only that, I was half-sure this would end up in another argument. How? Because everything between us ended in an argument, without a fail. I have no idea how in this situation I could end up pissing him off, don't ask me, but it would happen. And that's another thing I'm sure he didn't need.
Oi, look at me...over-thinking things. That was new.
So, I just stood silently in the doorway, leaning against the sill with arms crossed and watched him in silent support.
But why didn't I just turn away and go..? I had no idea.
Maybe today I should have done just that...
On the third day, today, it has been a bit more windy, so his hair was all over the place and even though it got in his face, he didn't even bother to brush it away. Was he that deep in thought?
He was already finishing the second cigarette...and I was about to leave at that point, but...
"You don't have to keep standing there, you know?"
He addressed me. Great...
Shoving hands into my pants pockets, I crouched my shoulders a bit downwards. I could say I felt slightly like an idiot, a school boy if you may, but...I didn't exactly care.
Stepping towards the other wordlessly, I watched him throw the bud overboard and turn towards me, a distant look in his eyes...he was looking right at me, but also through me...if that made sense...it didn't to me.
The cook smiled, "Haki, right..?"
Right...that made sense...and I nodded, but again said nothing, just stared at him, as if by some miracle he would start talking on his own and tell me what was up with him.
But instead...
"I recently developed a need for a smoke in the middle of the night, marimo. You really needn't worry about it," a smile.
Bullshit.
While, yeah, perhaps I was looking into it too much...probably showing one of my rare sides to the other, but... The look in his eyes couldn't lie.
"Want to talk about it?" I found myself saying in the most normal of tones, his expression unchanged...except that the small, unnecessary smile disappeared.
He averted his gaze, "Not really," a pause, then a small laugh and a grin, "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you."
I would have argued with that, but...he knew me well enough after such a long time and if he thought I wouldn't believe him - then it was probably true.
And again, it was really not my business or place to beat it out of him, right?
And the situation was left at that.
The only thing that bothered me after all that, still, was...that, uncharacteristic grin he flashed.
There were days when our entire crew gathered for a big party around a bonfire. I don't know how they managed to make a fire so big and make sure neither grass or Sunny would get caught on fire. But that was Franky and Usopp for you...they always knew what to do.
We usually just sat around talking, telling each other stories we heard in the past, scary tales from the land we were from, or simply about our pasts and dreams.
It was much easier to tell now than it would have been years ago...and it was noticeable in everyone, the cook included.
We took turns talking, and one person's story took such a long time that by the time they finished, almost everyone was either past asleep by the warm bonfire, or passed out from drinking so much...well, everyone except Robin, apparently. She was a very good listener.
It was a while ago, but... I remember it vaguely. It was the cook's turn to talk about his past, the land he was from, dreams, anything and everything. No one ever forced anyone to talk more than they should, or talk at all, but...we always felt so relaxed around each other, it never bothered us, ever, to talk about anything.
And the cook was obviously no exception.
With that idiotic grin, he spoke of All Blue, how he found out about it in the first place. With a bright smile, he talked about the first time he became a chef, all of the ship cooks he met along the way...Zeff included of course. In fact, he spoke of the old man with utmost admiration. And he did tell us why...the cruel reality that befell his young self...
When Chopper asked him to tell more about North Blue, since he did mention that was where he came from, Sanji would chuckle and say he didn't remember anything about his homeland since he was still very young when he left.
By the time he was finishing his story, I was pretty sure everyone was either already fast asleep or about to, even Robin, because as I dozed off, I remembered him saying one unforgettable thing, followed by a laugh, so I am not sure if anyone would take this seriously either way, but none the less, he said it:
'-It's a secret, but I was really a prince.'
To Be Continued...
